The Crime of Father Amaro
08-04-03, 08:29 AM
#1
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
The Crime of Father Amaro
Mexico's highest grossing film showed up on DVD recently, and since it was another film that I had intended on seeing (but never got around to travelling into the city to see it on one of the avante garde/indy theaters).
The story was adapted from a Portuguese novel written in the mid-1800's, but it's pretty much a timeless story of how the feelings of attraction between people who shouldn't be involved go from the abstract to the concrete, and the choice between that attraction and one's own ambitions isn't ever as clear cut as they should be.
Father Amaro is played by the young star in the making, Gael Garcia Bernal, who is one of those actors who's pretty riveting on the screen, and very compelling to watch, even if he plays an ernest, but ultimately flawed character. The rest of the cast is equally good.
Some may find the subject matter distasteful, but much of the story is rather human in terms of how the heart will overcome reason and common sense, with much at stake in terms of personal cost and consequences.
I don't think it was a great, magnificent film, but still worthy of a rental if you enjoy films of moral quandary.
The story was adapted from a Portuguese novel written in the mid-1800's, but it's pretty much a timeless story of how the feelings of attraction between people who shouldn't be involved go from the abstract to the concrete, and the choice between that attraction and one's own ambitions isn't ever as clear cut as they should be.
Father Amaro is played by the young star in the making, Gael Garcia Bernal, who is one of those actors who's pretty riveting on the screen, and very compelling to watch, even if he plays an ernest, but ultimately flawed character. The rest of the cast is equally good.
Some may find the subject matter distasteful, but much of the story is rather human in terms of how the heart will overcome reason and common sense, with much at stake in terms of personal cost and consequences.
I don't think it was a great, magnificent film, but still worthy of a rental if you enjoy films of moral quandary.
08-04-03, 10:00 AM
#2
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
This one IMO wasn't as good as the other couple of Mexican films of the last few years...
Here's the original thread I started when it was in theatres.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=265356
It probably has diminished in my mind a little more since then - the biblical allegory seems almost forced.
Here's the original thread I started when it was in theatres.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=265356
It probably has diminished in my mind a little more since then - the biblical allegory seems almost forced.
08-04-03, 07:17 PM
#3
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
I own this movie but haven't gotten around to seeing it yet. It was highly recommended to me. I did recently see La Ley de Herodes at my local art house theater and thought it was great. Catch it if you can.
08-04-03, 11:53 PM
#4
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I rented it on dvd , because I heard it was Mexico's highest grossing movie and because of the subject matter.
Movie was o.k.
It was not a hot and sexy movie or anywhere near say a BASIC INSTINCT. And nothing shocking in the relationship between the preist and the girl because she was a teen and he was in his early 20's. They even look the same age.
And the sex scene was like a PG movie.
The movie is mostly hype.
Movie was o.k.
It was not a hot and sexy movie or anywhere near say a BASIC INSTINCT. And nothing shocking in the relationship between the preist and the girl because she was a teen and he was in his early 20's. They even look the same age.
And the sex scene was like a PG movie.
The movie is mostly hype.
08-05-03, 12:24 PM
#5
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally posted by wm lopez
And nothing shocking in the relationship between the preist and the girl because she was a teen and he was in his early 20's.
And nothing shocking in the relationship between the preist and the girl because she was a teen and he was in his early 20's.
The 'shock' would be of more value in Mexico because its a predominantly catholic country. Also, they allude several times to the girl representing Mary - she loves God, gets pregnant, tries to marry some guy to cover up - sound familiar?
